Paterson Armory revamp takes first steps

PATERSON -- The city has received at least four proposals from architectural and engineering firms to study how to turn the Paterson Armory into a community center.

Mayor Joey Torres pitched that use of the building last year. And on Jan. 31, the city released a "request for proposals" to engineering firms to study the 1894 fortress-like structure from top to bottom and determine how much it would cost to retrofit it.

City officials want a comprehen- sive report of the building's structural integrity, environmental issues and current code violations.

Last July, Torres outlined a plan to convert the vacant building on Market Street -- a massive 53,800-square-foot brick structure -- into a hub for social, recreational and educational services. Torres estimated the cost of retrofitting the building could reach $5 million.

"I'm confident I can build it, but I'm not sure about maintaining or supporting an operating budget," Torres said Tuesday. "What good is building a house if you can't pay the rent or can't pay the mortgage?"

The mayor's plan for a community center, which surfaced after the City Council rejected his proposal to sell the building to a self-storage company for $1.02 million, is dependent on building a coalition of local, state and federal agencies and funding sources.

For example, Torres hopes to tap into federal funding from the U.S. Department of Justice for anti-drug and anti-violence programs and money from the state Department of Corrections for job-training initiatives for convicted felons.

Other activities for the center could include recreation space for basketball, soccer and track or educational programs for vocational training.

Caley Gray, a spokesman for Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson, said the congressman could introduce legislation to help fund the project and work toward tapping federal funds.

Paterson Armory revamp takes first steps

PATERSON -- The city has received at least four proposals from architectural and engineering firms to study how to turn the Paterson Armory into a community center.

Mayor Joey Torres pitched that use of the building last year. And on Jan. 31, the city released a "request for proposals" to engineering firms to study the 1894 fortress-like structure from top to bottom and determine how much it would cost to retrofit it.

City officials want a comprehen- sive report of the building's structural integrity, environmental issues and current code violations.

Last July, Torres outlined a plan to convert the vacant building on Market Street -- a massive 53,800-square-foot brick structure -- into a hub for social, recreational and educational services. Torres estimated the cost of retrofitting the building could reach $5 million.

"I'm confident I can build it, but I'm not sure about maintaining or supporting an operating budget," Torres said Tuesday. "What good is building a house if you can't pay the rent or can't pay the mortgage?"

The mayor's plan for a community center, which surfaced after the City Council rejected his proposal to sell the building to a self-storage company for $1.02 million, is dependent on building a coalition of local, state and federal agencies and funding sources.

For example, Torres hopes to tap into federal funding from the U.S. Department of Justice for anti-drug and anti-violence programs and money from the state Department of Corrections for job-training initiatives for convicted felons.

Other activities for the center could include recreation space for basketball, soccer and track or educational programs for vocational training.

Caley Gray, a spokesman for Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson, said the congressman could introduce legislation to help fund the project and work toward tapping federal funds.